Regional Presence

Support AVSI

“Iam very grateful for the commitment, hard work and dedication of each of you here. We share the same aspirations and goals for our children…When you talk about education and health of children, they are also our priority. When you talk about social development, domestic violence, they are also our priority…. My government and your government are collaborating in this and I am very happy to see this kind of cooperation being manifested down here."

Such were the words of US Ambassador to Uganda Scott Delisi upon his September 2013 visit with AVSI staff and others involved with the SUNRISE OVC (Strengthening Uganda’s National Response for Implementation of Services for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children) projectin collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Amb. Delisi was joined in the delegation by his wife Leija Delisi, USAID/Uganda Health HIV/AIDS and Education Office Director Ms. Karen Klimowsky, and USAID/Uganda Deputy HIV/AIDS Team Leader Dr. Seyoum Dejene.

SUNRISE covers 9 districts in Northern Uganda and aims at strengthening local government and community systems to improve access to quality basic services for vulnerable children and their families. AVSI is also involved in working with OVCs and their families through the USAID SCORE project.

The ambassador had meetings with the program staff, beneficiaries and visited some of the sites where to speak to families who have been reached by the project. In the very friendly dialogues, Delisi asked many questions, especially about the Acholi culture and the education of children. He shared some of his own experience in efforts to help strengthen families. The children’s parting words to him was to reveals their dreams for the future: to become lawyers, pilots or doctors.